At first, I wasn't going to post this hand for review because of how scrambled everything felt. If anything, it might belong in BBV. When I played it, I felt myself going much more off emotion/instinct. My reasoning and internal dialogue basically shut down as I played, so I'm in bad need of some critique.

Villain ~$400 effective. ~40's Southeast Asian dude who speaks like a bro version of James Earl Jones. Tall & built. Fully tatted w/ Buddhist iconography. Dressed like he's going surfing. When someone asked what he does for a living, he hinted that he moves weight. Usually plays 5/5 and up. Been raising at least 1/2 of all starters. Almost raises ATC in LP when limped to. I've 3bet him a few times to face obligatory calls, though he thanked me for "sacking up." He's not hiding that he's pushing everyone until he's pushed back. Joked around about being the guy that gets 3! the most in poker. I've kept our 3! pots small. Lost 1 to a J9, and won 2 others w/ A high and mid pair. Guy plays "smart" post. He'll test others on flop, or turn if flop was checked. Will shut down w/out decent holdings. Fairly confident he's always good for 1 streets of betting for ~2/3 pot.

Anyways, everyone fold to him on BTN. He raises a usual $17. Hero calls in sb w/ KTo.

What do you think about the call? I figured I was ahead of his range, but didn't want to 3bet and play this OOP. Plan was to either hit, rep A if possible, or perhaps try to see a showdown with 1 street of betting on safer paired boards. He knows my range would be ahead of his & would give me some credit for aggression. (more of a back-up. Not really trying to out-bluff this guy OOP)


BB calls as well. This guy's new to the table. ~1orbit ~$200. Have played with him before. Didn't recall how he played, but thus far, he'd been limping a majority of hands & doubled up his min $100 BI by raising AI on a flop bet w/9 high FD. He's on his ipad, so I'm not sure if he's aware of BTN's gameplay.

Flop $45, 1085

Hero bets $35, BB pushes in one of his two stacks. happened to have ~$110, BTN folds, Hero gets real puzzled. I wanted him to be full of crap, like he was last time. Something just didn't sit right about the bet. However, also concerned by the face value of overs, 2p, sets, and even AT. Based on bet & past history, should we continue?

I'm folding this pre. We want to be in with these kind of players with stronger holdings IMO esp OOP and esp if, as you say, he isn't spazy post. I almost want to say we are 3/bet or folding in spots like this without a calling range, but thats not entirely true, we still call pairs and things that flop well like J10 suited i suppose

AP he probably either has us beat or lots of equity against us, I fold.

Edit: If we know he wants to apply pressure here like always, why are we betting?

I would actually fold this preflop with nobody else in the hand. You are ahead of BTN's ATC range but you have a marginal hand OOP. Unless you catch a really good flop you mostly going to have TPMK and be guessing on your bluff catching the whole way to river. I would be happier playing this from the button if villain opened from LP.

On the flop, it's all about the live read. Stack sizes force you to fold or shove. You don't have enough history with villain to really establish much about his play. It feels fold based on what history you have. Your mostly slightly ahead to slightly behind on the draws and crushed by anything better, unless villain has bluffs in his range or can be spazzing with JT I don't see how the odds justify sticking around.

That said, there some some guys who come to the game with multiple minimum buy ins and play looking for draws to shove. It isn't a +EV play in the long run but the gamblers like the chance of winning big occasionally. There are people who I would call off in this situation but generally with more history.

I asked myself that right after I played the hand. When I called pf, I was so focused on going HU vs the BTN that the entrance of a third player threw me off. I probably felt some need to protect my TP from draws that I assume are the only things in my opponents range when I happen to connect. It was just poor mental state.

Preflop, I fold this in SB, call in BB...

Check flop... As played, elephino... I guess fold barring a read that BB freaks out with any top pair.